ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Saturday that Pakistan as a SAARC member state is closely monitoring political developments in Bangladesh, however clarified that it is not Pakistan’s policy to interfere in any country’s internal affairs.
The comments came in reaction to the execution of Abdul Kader Mulla, a senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party, in Bangladesh for war crimes during the country’s 1971 independence war.
In a statement Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said that it is not Pakistan’s policy to interfere in internal affairs of any country.
“Pakistan, however, has noted the concerns raised by the international community and human rights organizations regarding the way some recent trials were conducted in Bangladesh, which are feared to have added to the country’s instability”, he spokesman said.
The spokesman further said that “Pakistan wishes the brotherly people of Bangladesh well and hopes that spirit of reconciliation and an atmosphere free of violence will prevail.”
Abdul Kader Mullah was the first person to be hanged in central jail of Bangladeshi capital Dhaka for war crimes after he was convicted in February by the country’s International Crimes Tribunal established to investigate atrocities perpetrated during the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.
His execution took place on Thursday after the Bangladesh’s top court headed by Chief Justice Muzammel Hussain had dismissed the appeal of Abdul Kader Mullah for a final review and upheld his death sentence.
Following his execution, a new wave of deadly violence struck Bangladesh as the JI activists went on the rampage to vent their fury at the execution of one of their leaders for war crimes.
